Rules for restaurants, bars relaxed temporarily
As the period of Durga Puja is a major source of revenue for the food and beverage industry in Bengal, the government has allowed relaxations for 10 days, from October 10 to 20, for restaurants and bars across the state.
With the night restrictions (that is, movements from 11 pm to 5 am) remaining suspended for 10 days, which started yesterday (that is, October 10-20), the Bengal government has also allowed shops, restaurants and bars to remain open as per normal operational hours, and has also permitted the late closing of bars.
This is meant to boost the economy during the festive season. The industry witnessed setbacks due to the COVID-19 pandemic as restaurants had to be shut for a major period of the last two years.
With night-long pandal-hopping is almost a ritual during Durga Puja, people prefer to dine out at their favourite restaurants or resto-bars.
Hence, restaurants and eateries have been allowed to operate as per their normal timings. Bars and resto-bars can remain open till midnight while, with a special license, they can serve liquor even till 2 am.
There are around 40,000 restaurants and 4,000 bars in the state, which includes 10,000 restaurants and around 1,300 bars in Kolkata.
However, since the pandemic is very much active, wearing of masks, maintaining physical distance and health and hygiene protocol have to be followed properly by everyone—revellers, puja organisers, staff of restaurants and bars, and everyone else concerned—or else strict action would be taken as per the provisions of the Disaster Management Act, 2005 and Indian Penal Code.
The latest Health Department advisory has again reminded that “the celebration of Puja this year should be restricted within the family” and that “any type of social gatherings and processions must be avoided”.
